More than 12 Burma army soldiers were killed and several more injured following two separate road side bomb attacks on Sunday. The guerrilla strikes were carried out by members of the Kachin Independence Army as a Burma army column was traveling along the Bhamo (Manmaw) to Nam Hkam road in southern Kachin state, according to eyewitnesses.
The military column consisting of soldiers from Light Infantry Division No. 99 was hit near Man Win while it was traveling from Kai Htik military base to Nam Hkam in Shan state. The first series of explosions took place at Kyauk Phya at 7 AM, this was followed by another round of explosions some four hours later at Sha-U Hkyet at 11 AM, according to witnesses.
Some of the injured survivors appear to have been transported to Nam Hkam while others were sent back to Kai Htik base.
The twin attacks were carried out by units from KIA’s Battalion 1 and 27 based in Manje (or Mansi) township in Bhamo district, said a KIA officer stationed in Southern Kachin state. No KIA personnel were injured or killed as a result of the blasts.
The bulk of the Burma army column was not able to proceed to Nam Hkam because of the attack and instead was forced to return to Kai Htik, according to the KIA official.
